Commentary, sarcasm and snide remarks from a Florida resident of over thirty years. Being a glutton for punishment is a requirement for residency here.
Who am I? I've been called a moonbat by Michelle Malkin, a Right Wing Nut by Daily Kos, and middle of the road by Florida blog State of Sunshine. Tell me what you think.

Sunday, July 01, 2007

More than fifteen minutes

They say a picture says a thousand words. The driver of this car certainly needed more than alloted time shown in the picture. Welcome to Florida.

DELRAY BEACH — A car smashed through the front window of a shipping store Friday and plowed inside, frightening employees, sending debris flying and tearing down support beams.

Firefighters said an older man was behind the wheel of the gray Toyota Camry that drove onto a sidewalk and into the Pack & Ship store at 5026 W. Atlantic Ave. about 11:15 a.m.

Two employees were packing things inside when the car barreled through.

"It was moving really fast," said Patricia Krauss, 28, one of the employees. "It made a big noise. We just ran."

The driver's name was not available. He was taken to Delray Medical Center as a precaution. Debris had fallen onto his car and firefighters had to help him get out. They said he was disoriented, but did not appear to be hurt.

The car came to rest in the center of the store, beside rows of packaging foam and stacks of envelopes, just short of the checkout counter. It was towed out, leaving in its place piles of glass, mangled support beams and a metal FedEx sign that crashed to the ground after the impact.

Shoppers and employees at the busy shopping center at Atlantic Avenue and Military Trail gathered outside the store when they heard the crash.

"The first thing I thought was a bomb went off," said Vicki Lynch, a manager at neighboring Uniform Advantage. She said she and a friend called 911 and stopped the driver from getting out and cutting himself on the shards of glass littering the area.

The Camry's license plate indicated that it's owner was disabled.

Before smashing into the business, the car struck a "15-minute parking" sign posted just outside, and left a trail of skid marks leading straight through the shattered window.